Orchard heating apparatus



EM, 1 W H s ORCHARD HEATING APPARATUS 3 Sheets-Sheet l N DVD. km

Filed Aug. 30, 1937 c. H. AMES 2,184,109

ORCHARD HEATING APPARATUS Filed Aug. 30, 1957 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 c. H.AMES 2,184,109

ORCHARD HEATING APPARATUS Filed Aug. 30, 1937 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR.C. H. AMEs Patented Dec. 19, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT QFFEQE 4 Claims.

The invention relates to orchard heating ap paratus.

The general object of the invention is to provide an improved heatingapparatus for use in 8 orchards whereby heated products of combustionmingled with warm air are distributed about the orchard at efiectivelocations.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide an improveddistributing system for use 10 in orchard heating.

A further object of my invention is to provide an improved outletcontrol for a warm. air orchard heating pipe.

Other objects and the advantages of my inven- 1 tion will be apparentfrom the following description taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view showing my orchard heating apparatus;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation showing one side of the heater;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation showing the other side of the heater;

Fig. 4 is a section taken on line i-t Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is an end view with parts broken away and showing the heater;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged section taken on line 56 Fig. 2;

Fig. 7 is a section taken on line l-'l Fig. 1;

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary, central, sectional view showing the outletpipe;

Fig. 9 is a section taken on line 9-9 Fig. 8;

Fig. 10 is a central, sectional view showing an air outlet; '35 Fig. 11is a section taken on line i i! I Fig. 10; Fig. 12 is a section taken online l2--l2 Fig. 10; Fig. 13 is a section showing another outlet; Fig.14 is a section taken on line 14-44 Fig. 13; Fig. 15 is a section takenon line l5l5 Fig. 13; 40 Fig. 16 is a section showing a further outlet;Fig. 17 is a section taken on line illl Fig. 16; and

Fig. 18 is a section of the fan mounting. Referring to the drawings byreference char- .45 acters I have shown my invention as embodied in anorchard heating apparatus which is indicated generally at 10. As shownthe apparatus includes a heating unit H and a distributing unit 12.

The heating unit includes a housing 13 which is preferably made of metaland which includes sides 14 and i5, ends 16 and. I1, a top 18 and abottom 19. The housing is shown as mounted upon a floor 20 which isarranged upon suitable 55 cross members 2|.

The housing includes a door 22 by means of which access may be had tothe interior. The housing also includes a plurality of inlets 23 whichare shown as disposed one on one end and two on the other end and two oneach side. Each of the inlets 23 as shown in Fig. 7 includes aquadrantal shaped cover portion 24 which provides a lower aperture whichis covered by a closure member 25 hinged as at 25. An arcuate arm 21 ishinged on the upper surface of the closure as at 28 and has teeth 20which engage the edge 30 of an aperture 3| in the cover portion 22 tohold the closure 25 in position so that the volume of air entering thehousing through each inlet may be regulated. 5

Extending transversely through the housing [3 I show a shaft 32 which ismounted in suitable bearings 33 which are supported on a frame member 34which is arranged on the exterior of the housing.

A frame member 35 on the interior of the housing l3 supports acylindrical shell 36 in which a blower impeller 31 is mounted. Thisimpeller 31 is on the shaft 32 previously mentioned and the shaft isshown as driven by means of a prime mover 38 which is shown as agasoline engine although it will be understood that other suitable typesof prime movers may be employed. The engine includes a pulley 40 whichdrives a belt 4| which in turn drives a pulley 42 mounted on the shaft32 previously described and the construction is such that when the primemover 3B is operated the impeller will be driven and will draw air fromapertures 43 at each end of the shell 36. This air will be drawn throughthe 35 housing inlets 23 and the amount drawn through each inlet will becontrolled by means of the closures 25.

The blower alsodraws products of combustion from a heating member 50which is shown as 40 disposed in the housing 13. This heating unit 55 issubstantially the same as that disclosed in my co-pending application,Serial No. 125,000, filed February 10, 1937, now Patent No. 2,097,544granted November 2, 1937, for Radiant orchard heater and as shownincludes a burner member 5| adapted to burn oil or gas supplied by apipe 52 and to discharge the products of combustion into a horizontalportion 53 of the unit whence the products of combustion pass throughthe portion 53 to a vertical portion 54 and from the upper end throughthe outlet portion 55 thereof. Suitable baiiles 56 and radiation flanges5'! are employed in the unit 50 and for a further descrip- 55 tion ofthe heating element reference is made to the above mentioned patent.

The air blower housing 36 includes a rectangular outlet til whichextends through an aperture 6| in the housing l3 and merges, by means ofa polygonal portion 62, into a cylindrical sleeve 63 which is secured toa hollow metal conduit member 66 of the distributing unit l2 previouslymentioned.

As shown the conduit 64 includes a plurality of sections designated 65,St, and 6'? which decrease in cross sectional area away from thehousing. Each of these sections on the outer end as shown, for instancein Fig. 8, includes an inner portion H having a sleeve 12 securedthereto as by welding and the sleeve 12 receives a portion 73 whichconstitutes the remainder of the conduit 52. The joint between the partsii and 13 may be a sliding one so that the distributing unit may bedisassembled and removed during the warmer periods of the year.

Each of the sections 65, B6, and 67 is provided with a plurality ofplane, spaced, vanes T4, '15, E6, and ll which are shown as arrangedhorizontally and vertically to maintain the direction of fiow of theheated products of combustion in a straight forward direction so thatthe forward direction will be restored immediately in advance of thedistributing outlets which I will now describe. The sections 65 to 6?are each provided with a pair of opposed distributing outlets l3 and 19having dampers 88 therein. The outlets are shown as arranged at 45degrees to the axis of the conduit and the outlets are disposed adjacentto the portions of reduced area and where there is a slight tendency toback pressure in the moving column so that it is assured that the heatedproducts of combustion will pass from the conduit. The outlets 78 and I9communicate with elbows 8i which in turn communicate with lateralconduits 82, 83, and 83a.

The conduit 82 on one side of the section 65 has an upwardly directedoutlet 85 provided with a flaring upper end 85 and a damper 86, shown inFig. 10. Adjacent the lower portion of the flaring part I provide atransversely extending supporting strip 81 which includes an upperportion 88, a lower portion 89 and side portions 88' which are suitablywelded or otherwise secured in place.

The member 89 has a reinforcing member 5G and the members 88, 89, and953 have aligned apertures which receive a rotatable shaft ill on whichan outlet member 92 is mounted. This member includes a top portion 93, aside wall 94 and a lower inner wall 95 which has its lower edge Q6spaced from the adjacent portion of the flaring part 86 to provide apassage 96. The side 3 1 is provided with outlet apertures 9i and thewall 98 is provided with inwardly bent tongues 98 which provide outletapertures 99.

The tongues 98 and apertures 99 are disposed between downwardly directedvane members we which are of the configuration shown in Figs. 10 and 11and which as will be seen are inclined so that the column of airstriking thereagainst will cause the member 2'32 to rotate. As the airtherefrom passes through the apertures 9i and 99 it will draw airupwardly and through the bottom opening 96' so that the air is directedupwardly and outwardly with a rotating motion.

The conduit 83 on the section 65 includes an upwardly directed outletlill which has a flaring upper end E02 and has a damper I03 therein asshown in Fig. 13. Adjacent the lower portion of the flaring part Iprovide a transversely extending supporting strip I04 which includes anupper portion 6% and a lower portion I06 and side portions ill! whichare suitably welded or other wise secured in place.

The lower portion I06 is provided with a reinforcing member Hlt. Themembers E05, M6 and H98 are provided with aligned apertures whichreceive a rotatable shaft I89 on which an outlet member H0 is mounted.This member includes a top portion Hi having outlet apertures H2disposed between downwardly directed vane members H3 which are of theconfiguration shown in Figs. 13 and 14 and which are inclined so thatthe column of fluid striking thereagainst will cause the member I iii torotate as the air passes through the apertures H2 and out from under thetop portion H l with a rotating motion.

The conduit member 83a. on the section 66 has an upwardly directedoutlet H4 (Figs. 16, 17 and 18) and has a damper H6 therein and hasslots H5 in the upper portion. Supporting rods i It are secured to theupper end of the outlet lit by wing nuts Ill which pass through theslots H5.

A double conical head H9 having the outer edge slanting downwardly as at52B is secured to the upper end of the supporting rods H6 as at H8. Ialso provide louvres l2! and I22 as shown in Fig. 16.

In the upwardly directed outlet ti l I arrange a transversely extendingsupporting strip I23 on which a bracket E24 is secured and which hasaligned apertures I24 which receive a shaft which rotates on a ballbearing l2fi. Secured to the upper end of the shaft I25 I provide a onebladed fan which is rotated as the air passes therefrom.

In the operation of my apparatus the heater is caused to operate and theblower prime mover is also operated. The products of combustion passfrom the casing l3 through the outlet member 68 and enter the conduit54. The inlets 23 which are disposed on the sides and ends of thehousing Ill are adjusted to suit the requirements at the time theapparatus is used. For instance, if there is considerable wind theclosure members 25 of the inlets 23 on the windward side are closed andthose on the other side are opened. This matter of regulating the inletis an important one since the full efficiency of the heating apparatusis thus secured regardless of how much wind may be blowing.

The heated products of combustion which have remained with the fresh airentering the inlets pass through the conduit 54 and through the outletsl8 and "i9 into the conduits 82, 83, etc. The outlets 85, H35, H 5, etc.are so designed and regulated that the correct distribution of the warmair is assured. The particular arrangement of these outlets as shown inthe drawings is only diagrammatic and it may be necessary to placecertain of the outlet members more remote from the heater than is shownin the drawings or some of these outlets may be placed closer to theheater.

This particular arrangement would depend on the conditions in the grove,the atmospheric conditions and the size and shape of the trees. If theoutlets are placed under the trees then the type shown in Figs. 10, 13and 16 may be well employed provided the foliage on the trees is thin sothat there is space for lateral distribution. If the foliage is heavythen the other types may be employed.

With my apparatus there is no requirement that the individual orchardheaters be filled and the conduits may be so arranged that the trees invarious parts of the orchard may be properly protected. It will beunderstood that changes may be made without departing from the spirit ofmy invention which is set forth in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention I claim:

1. In an orchard heater, a housing having an outlet, means to directheated products of combustion and warmed air through the outlet, adistributing unit communicating with said outlet, an outletcommunicating with said distributing unit, an elbow, the outer end ofsaid outlet flaring outwardly, a support member in said outlet elbow, aclosure member having a shaft rotatable on said support, said closuremember having a top portion, inwardly directed tongues punched from saidtop portion, said top portion having vanes thereon.

2. In an orchard heater, a housing having an outlet, means to directheated products of combustion and warmed air through the outlet, adistributing unit communicating with said outlet, an outlet on saiddistributing unit, an elbow connected to said outlet, a conduitconnected to said elbow, an elbow on said conduit, the outer end of saidelbow flaring outwardly, a support memher in said elbow, a closurehaving a shaft rotatable on said support, said closure having a topportion, said top portion having vanes thereon and having aperturesdisposed between said vanes.

3. In an orchard heater, a housing having an outlet, means to directheated products of combustion and warmed air through the outlet, adistributing unit communicating with said outlet, an elbow connected tosaid distributing unit, a conduit connected to said elbow, an elbow onsaid conduit, the outer end of said elbow flaring outwardly, a supportmember in said elbow, a closure having a shaft rotatable on saidsupport, said closure having a top portion, inwardly directed tonguespunched from said top portion, said top portion having vanes thereondisposed between said tongues, said top portion having a downwardlydirected flange thereon, said flange having spaced apertures, saidflange having an inwardly directed bottom, said bottom being adjacent tothe flaring portion of said elbow and being larger than the exteriordiameter of the adjacent portion of the elbow whereby air. may passaround the elbow into the bottom of said closure.

4. In an orchard heater, a housing having a discharge outlet, means todirect heated products of combustion and warmed air through the outlet,a distributing unit communicating with said outlet, an outletcommunicating with said distributing unit, an elbow, a closure spacedfrom the end of said elbow, a support member on said 3 outlet elbow, ashaft rotatable on said support and an impeller on said shaft.

CHARLES H. AMES.

